By Rachel Uranga
Source Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles police fatally shot a man who was reportedly armed with a gun in Westlake early Sunday, Sept. 11, morning.
Around 3:20 a.m., officers were patrolling near the intersection of Sixth Street and Rampart Boulevard when they spotted a man with a gun, police said.
"When the officers made contact with him, an officer-involved shooting occurred," said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Bruce Borihanh.
The suspect, who police said was in his 20s but did not identify, ran north on Rampart and officers chased him on foot. They shot at him a second time, killing the man, according to police.
Police said a handgun was recovered at the scene and video from cameras worn by the involved officers is being reviewed. (Editor's note: The LAPD released the body camera footage this week.)
It was unclear if the suspect fired at officers, but there were no other injuries.
More information on how the interaction unfolded would be released after an administrative investigation, Borihahn said. The department also has a policy of releasing footage from officers' cameras within several weeks of a police shooting.
The Police Department's account could not be independently verified. Several hours after the shooting, the area around the shooting scene in the densely populated, largely immigrant community was still cordoned off. Neighbors lingered around the yellow police tape and several businesses remained closed. Street vendors who normally set up there moved down the block.
Steve Flowers, who lives around the block, said he heard the shooting from his apartment.
"I hear the first two pops," he said. "There was a pause and then I heard pa-pa-pa-pa." He estimated there were about seven shots fired in the second volley of gunfire.
Adriana Gonzalez said the gunfire woke her up. She similarly heard two initial gunshots and then several others.
The area has seen a recent uptick in crime, said LAPD Rampart Division Capt. Raul Jovel. Over the last few months, the LAPD has increased patrols in Westlake overnight, he said.
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